CNN Promises 'Unbiased' 2012 Convention Coverage

NEW YORK -- In rolling out 2012 convention coverage plans on Tuesday, CNN made a point to note its programming will be "unbiased."

Its press release didn't specifically mention Fox News or MSNBC, but it certainly suggested those networks are either pulling for the Republicans or Democrats.

Washington bureau chief Sam Feist didn't mention other cable networks by name in an interview with The Huffington Post either, but he differentiated CNN by describing it as the "only cable news channel that hasn't a picked side in this election."

While CNN has hit ratings lows in recent months and conventional wisdom has suggested that cable viewers increasingly gravitate toward partisan commentary over down-the-middle coverage, Feist argues that many voters are just beginning to tune into the 2012 election and aren't necessarily looking to have their existing opinions validated by partisan hosts.

"Not every voter wants to be told how to vote," Feist said. "CNN will give viewers and voters an opportunity to hear both sides."

"What we're going to do at the conventions is different from what others are going to do," he added. "I think there's an appetite for that. I think there are millions of viewers who want to hear both sides, who want to get information to make a decision who to vote for."

Feist said that CNN "will ask tough questions of both sides when a candidate or surrogate offers plans or makes promises from the convention stage" and will fact check throughout the conventions.

The Republican and Democratic conventions will dominate CNN's airwaves for two weeks and include all the network's biggest political anchors and analysts, including Wolf Blitzer, Candy Crowley, John King, Anderson Cooper and Gloria Borger.

Here's a rundown of CNN's coverage plans, per the network release:

Republican National Convention programming for the week of Aug. 26:

Kicking off convention week on Sunday, Aug. 26, State of the Union with Candy Crowley will air live from Tampa at 9 a.m. Reliable Sources, hosted by Howard Kurtz, will air from Tampa 11 a.m.

From 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, America’s Choice 2012: Countdown to the Republican National Convention will air live from Tampa.

Beginning Aug. 27, Early Start anchor John Berman will host the program live from the CNN Grill from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. Co-anchor Zoraida Sambolin will be live from New York.

Also live from the CNN Grill in Tampa, a special convention edition of Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien will air Monday, Aug. 27 through Thursday, Aug. 30. from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. On Friday, Aug. 31, the program will be live from a local diner.

On each convention day, lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will anchor The Situation Room from the convention floor beginning at 4 p.m. On Friday, Aug. 31, Blitzer will take his program to Charlotte, in advance of the Democratic National Convention.

At 7p.m., CNN will begin prime time coverage from locations inside the convention hall. Anchors Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and Candy Crowley will join Blitzer to lead coverage alongside chief national correspondent John King at the “Magic Wall.” Chief political analyst Gloria Borger and senior political analyst David Gergen will be on hand during coverage throughout each evening.

A special midnight edition of Piers Morgan Tonight will air live from the CNN Grill, where newsmakers and convention attendees will be gathered to enjoy lively political conversation while staying plugged into the goings on at the convention.

Throughout the week senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash and national political correspondent Jim Acosta will provide coverage from the convention floor. Chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin will also be on the ground in Tampa to provide coverage of the convention. Senior correspondent Joe Johns will be on hand to cover protesters and security at the convention. Correspondent Tom Foreman will execute fact checks and take the temperature of Florida voters participating in focus groups at the CNN Grill.

Democratic National Convention programming for the week of Sept. 2:

On Sunday, Sept. 2, State of the Union with Candy Crowley will air live from Charlotte at 9 a.m. Reliable Sources, hosted by Howard Kurtz, will air from Charlotte at 11 a.m.

Beginning on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3, Early Start anchor John Berman will host the program live from the CNN Grill from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. Co-anchor Zoraida Sambolin will be live from New York.

Also from the CNN Grill in uptown Charlotte, Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien will air live beginning Monday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 6 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. On Friday, Sept. 7, the program will air live from a local diner.

A special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer will air beginning Friday, Aug. 31 and continue through each convention day from the convention hall in Charlotte beginning at 4 p.m.

From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 3, America’s Choice 2012: Countdown to the Democratic National Convention will air live from Charlotte.

At 7p.m. each convention day, CNN will begin prime time coverage from inside the convention hall. Anchors Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and Candy Crowley will join Blitzer to lead the coverage alongside chief national correspondent John King at the “Magic Wall.” Chief political analyst Gloria Borger and senior political analyst David Gergen will be on hand during coverage each day.

A special midnight edition of Piers Morgan Tonight will air live from the CNN Grill in uptown Charlotte, where newsmakers and convention attendees will be gathered to enjoy lively political conversation while staying plugged into the goings on at the convention.

Throughout the week of the convention White House correspondent Brianna Keilar and chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin will be on the ground to provide the latest from the convention floor. Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash will also be on the ground in Charlotte to provide coverage of the convention. .Senior correspondent Joe Johns will be on hand to cover protesters and security at the convention. Correspondent Tom Foreman will execute fact checks and takes the temperature of North Carolina voters participating in focus groups at the CNN Grill.

On the final day of the convention, Thursday, Sept. 6, CNN’s anchors and correspondents will move to the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where President Obama will accept his party’s nomination.